RECYCLING AT ITS FINEST

Nicole Sgarbossa

Unless you’re willing to fork out the cash for one-of-a-kind designer duds, it’s hard to feel unique these days in our mass-produced fashion market, but one Canadian store has managed to rise above. Preloved is a truly unique fashion line founded in 1995 by former model Julia Grieve, with the aid of designer Peter Friesen. Not only is the line original, trendy, and affordable, it’s environmentally conscious as well! Preloved recycles over 50,000 pieces of old clothing a year. Clothes that would be tossed in the dump and fed to the seagulls are cut up and combined with new fabrics to create perfectly unique outfits. It’s recycling at its best; an old bed sheet is sewn into a beautiful summer dress, and a vintage Christmas sweater is used as the collar of a winter trench.

Not only is Preloved doing good for the environment, they’re creating gorgeous, affordable, one-of-a-kind pieces along the way. They featured their latest collection at the 2008 L’Oreal Fashion Week, despite losing their Toronto location to a fire last winter. With three stores nationwide (Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver), Preloved is showing no signs of slowing down, and with the environmental craze in full force, they doubtfully will any time soon.

Preloved: www.preloved.ca